Capacitive Data Transfer Through a User's Body

1. A method for communicating data between a user's wireless communication device and a hands-free visor, the method comprising: establishing a Personal Area Network (PAN) between a user's wireless communication device and a hands-free visor, the PAN comprising a bi-directional communication link through the user's body; establishing a short-range communications link between the wireless communication device and the hands-free visor; and selectively transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via one of the PAN and the short-range communications link based on at least one of: a comparison between a rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the hands-free visor and a predetermined bit-rate threshold; and a comparison between a current transmit power level for the wireless communications device and a predetermined power level threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating data with the hands-free visor comprises transmitting and receiving image data to and from the hands-free visor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating data with the hands-free visor comprises transmitting and receiving audio data to and from the hands-free visor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the short-range communications link comprises one of a Bluetooth link and a WiFi link.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via one of the PAN and the short-range communications link comprises: determining whether the rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the hands-free visor exceeds the predetermined bit-rate threshold value; transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via the PAN if the rate does not exceed the bit-rate threshold value; and transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via the short-range communications link if the rate exceeds the bit-rate threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via one of the PAN and the short-range communications link comprises: determining the current transmit power level for the wireless communications device; transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via the PAN if the current transmit power level exceeds the predetermined power level threshold; and transmitting the data to the hands-free visor via the short-range communications link if the current transmit power level does not exceed the predetermined power level threshold.

7. A wireless communication device comprising: a Personal Area Network (PAN) transceiver; a short-range transceiver; and a controller configured to: establish a bi-directional communication link through a user's body with a corresponding PAN transceiver at the hands-free visor; establish a short-range air-interface link with a corresponding short-range transceiver disposed in the hands-free visor; and selectively transmit the data to the hands-free visor via one of the PAN and the short-range air-interface link based on at least one of: a comparison between a rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the hands-free visor and a predetermined bit-rate threshold; and a comparison between a current transmit power level for the wireless communications device and a predetermined power level threshold.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to: determine whether the rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the hands-free visor exceeds the predetermined bit-rate threshold value; transmit the data to the hands-free visor via the PAN transceiver if the rate does not exceed the bit-rate threshold value; and transmit the data to the hands-free visor via the short-range transceiver if the rate exceeds the bit-rate threshold value.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to: determine the current transmit power level for the wireless communications device; transmit the data to the hands-free visor via the PAN if the current transmit power level exceeds the predetermined power level threshold; and transmit the data to the hands-free visor via the short-range communications link if the current transmit power level does not exceed the predetermined power level threshold.

10. A method for communicating data between a user's wireless communication device and a hands-free visor, the method comprising: establishing a Personal Area Network (PAN) between a user's wireless communication device and a hands-free visor, the PAN comprising a bi-directional communication link through the user's body; establishing a short-range communications link between the wireless communication device and the hands-free visor; and selectively transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via one of the PAN and the short-range communications link based on at least one of: a comparison between a rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the wireless communication device and a predetermined bit-rate threshold; and a comparison between a current transmit power level for the hands-free visor and a predetermined power level threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein communicating data with the wireless communication device comprises transmitting and receiving image data to and from the wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein communicating data with the wireless communication device comprises transmitting and receiving audio data to and from the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the short-range communications link comprises one of a Bluetooth link and a WiFi.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein selectively transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via one of the PAN and the short-range communications link comprises: determining whether the rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the wireless communication device exceeds the predetermined bit-rate threshold value; transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via the PAN if the rate does not exceed the bit-rate threshold value; and transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via the short-range communications link if the rate exceeds the bit-rate threshold value.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein selectively transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via one of the PAN and the short-range communications link comprises: determining the current transmit power level for the hands-free visor; transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via the PAN if the current transmit power level exceeds the predetermined power level threshold; and transmitting the data to the wireless communication device via the short-range communications link if the current transmit power level does not exceed the predetermined power level threshold.

16. A hands-free visor accessory device for a wireless communication device, the accessory device comprising: a Personal Area Network (PAN) transceiver; a short-range transceiver; and a controller configured to: establish a bi-directional communication link through a user's body with a corresponding PAN transceiver at the wireless communications device; establish a short-range air-interface link with a corresponding short-range transceiver at the wireless communications device; and selectively transmit the data to the wireless communications device via one of the PAN and the short-range air-interface link based on at least one of: a comparison between a rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the wireless communications device and a predetermined bit-rate threshold; and a comparison between a current transmit power level for the accessory device and a predetermined power level threshold.

17. The accessory device of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to: determine whether the rate at which the data is to be transmitted to the wireless communications device exceeds the predetermined bit-rate threshold; transmit the data to the wireless communications device via the PAN transceiver if the rate does not exceed the predetermined bit-rate threshold; and transmit the data to the wireless communications device via the short-range transceiver if the rate exceeds the predetermined bit-rate threshold.

18. The accessory device of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to: determine the current transmit power level for the accessory device; transmit the data to the wireless communications device via the PAN if the current transmit power level exceeds the predetermined power level threshold; and transmit the data to the wireless communications device via the short-range communications link if the current transmit power level does not exceed the predetermined power level threshold.